Heartbeat, Heartburn, and Heart Surgery
Heartbeat
Yesterday we got to hear our little baby's heartbeat! It was really awesome and reassuring to know that everything sounded great. 170 beats a minute. I'm totally announcing the pregnancy now, although most people already know! I am almost at 13 weeks, which is good. I am plagued with horrible headaches though. Sometimes my sisters and mom would get them in the second trimester. I took one Tylenol and half of an Excedrin (the kind with Tylenol and caffeine) today, because I just couldn't think, and it worked. I hate doing that, but after suffering for three days, I just needed some relief. I hope these headaches go away sometime, but it's OK to have to live with it for awhile because I'm just happy that we have this little miracle growing and preparing to enter the world. If it comes out addicted to caffeine, we'll know why! Hee hee.
Heartburn
It seems to come more often now. Tums work though! Just a quick story about a night that I had the worst headache ever! I was lying in bed and had a washcloth over my head to help. I actually took a full Excedrin that night and it worked. I had been drinking tons of water though, because some people say you can get headaches from dehydration. So I kept having to get up to use the bathroom. Then I had heartburn so I took two Tums, which helped for a minute. But then my stomach was growling like crazy. I kept trying to ignore it, but couldn't. I figured it was almost time to wake up and I must be getting hungry for breakfast or something. So I looked at the clock and it was only 3:30. So, I tried ignoring the growling tummy, but finally got up to eat some cereal! So there I am in the middle of the night, sitting at the bar eating Basic 4. Funny. I'm not sure if was keeping Greg up or not, but it was kind-of annoying to me in a way. But you do what you've gotta do. I only ate a little cereal because I'm trying to stay within the recommended weight gain, and since I haven't been sick at all, I've probably gained more in the first trimester than some women. So when I went back to bed, my stomach was still growling and I was thinking maybe I should have had a larger bowl of cereal, but finally it calmed down enough that I could sleep. I'm still in awe of all these crazy things that happen to you while you're pregnant. It does take some getting used to!
Heart Surgery
Greg's dad is going in for open heart surgery next week. Here's the story: For awhile now he's been having chest pain, but sort-of ignored it somewhat. But then at the Priesthood session he was telling Greg about it and afterward, Greg listened to his heart. He has always had a slight murmur because he had Rheumatic Fever as a kid, but this time the murmur was way worse. Greg suggested he get it checked out, which he did. Turns out it wasn't good. He has critical aortic stenosis, which means the aortic valve is just a tiny little hole right now for the blood to get through. So at any time if something were to block that off, he would die. The doctor that checked him was so nice, he even called Greg to give him the update and Greg was surprised at how bad it really was. So, today Gerald went for an angiogram and everything looked OK (besides the valve, obviously) but they didn't have to do any stents and they won't have to do any bypasses next week when he has his open heart surgery, so that's good. But it's still a major surgery that will take 6-8 weeks of recovery. They'll completely open him up and either put in a bioprosthetic valve (like one from a pig or other animal) or a metallic valve, depending on what the surgeons think. Greg gave his dad a nice blessing the other night and we're sure that everything will go well. It's lucky that Greg listened to his heart and told him to get it checked or it still might have gone undiagnosed and then who knows what would happen. Yay Greg. He's awesome. So are his dad and mom and our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Yesterday we got to hear our little baby's heartbeat! It was really awesome and reassuring to know that everything sounded great. 170 beats a minute. I'm totally announcing the pregnancy now, although most people already know! I am almost at 13 weeks, which is good. I am plagued with horrible headaches though. Sometimes my sisters and mom would get them in the second trimester. I took one Tylenol and half of an Excedrin (the kind with Tylenol and caffeine) today, because I just couldn't think, and it worked. I hate doing that, but after suffering for three days, I just needed some relief. I hope these headaches go away sometime, but it's OK to have to live with it for awhile because I'm just happy that we have this little miracle growing and preparing to enter the world. If it comes out addicted to caffeine, we'll know why! Hee hee.
Heartburn
It seems to come more often now. Tums work though! Just a quick story about a night that I had the worst headache ever! I was lying in bed and had a washcloth over my head to help. I actually took a full Excedrin that night and it worked. I had been drinking tons of water though, because some people say you can get headaches from dehydration. So I kept having to get up to use the bathroom. Then I had heartburn so I took two Tums, which helped for a minute. But then my stomach was growling like crazy. I kept trying to ignore it, but couldn't. I figured it was almost time to wake up and I must be getting hungry for breakfast or something. So I looked at the clock and it was only 3:30. So, I tried ignoring the growling tummy, but finally got up to eat some cereal! So there I am in the middle of the night, sitting at the bar eating Basic 4. Funny. I'm not sure if was keeping Greg up or not, but it was kind-of annoying to me in a way. But you do what you've gotta do. I only ate a little cereal because I'm trying to stay within the recommended weight gain, and since I haven't been sick at all, I've probably gained more in the first trimester than some women. So when I went back to bed, my stomach was still growling and I was thinking maybe I should have had a larger bowl of cereal, but finally it calmed down enough that I could sleep. I'm still in awe of all these crazy things that happen to you while you're pregnant. It does take some getting used to!
Heart Surgery
Greg's dad is going in for open heart surgery next week. Here's the story: For awhile now he's been having chest pain, but sort-of ignored it somewhat. But then at the Priesthood session he was telling Greg about it and afterward, Greg listened to his heart. He has always had a slight murmur because he had Rheumatic Fever as a kid, but this time the murmur was way worse. Greg suggested he get it checked out, which he did. Turns out it wasn't good. He has critical aortic stenosis, which means the aortic valve is just a tiny little hole right now for the blood to get through. So at any time if something were to block that off, he would die. The doctor that checked him was so nice, he even called Greg to give him the update and Greg was surprised at how bad it really was. So, today Gerald went for an angiogram and everything looked OK (besides the valve, obviously) but they didn't have to do any stents and they won't have to do any bypasses next week when he has his open heart surgery, so that's good. But it's still a major surgery that will take 6-8 weeks of recovery. They'll completely open him up and either put in a bioprosthetic valve (like one from a pig or other animal) or a metallic valve, depending on what the surgeons think. Greg gave his dad a nice blessing the other night and we're sure that everything will go well. It's lucky that Greg listened to his heart and told him to get it checked or it still might have gone undiagnosed and then who knows what would happen. Yay Greg. He's awesome. So are his dad and mom and our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Wow! Hearing the heartbeat is so amazing, isn't it? I love that! I had really bad headaches this pregnancy and was so discouraged at week 16 when my midwife said they were probably hormonal headaches and were completely normal and that they usually go away around week 24. YIKES! That seemed like so far away. Eight MORE weeks of horrible headaches. But sure enough, they have faded as I finally hit the end of the 2nd trimester. Laura totally takes the excedrin for her headaches and her midwife says it's fine. I'm sure your baby won't be a caffeine addict. :) I have a major need for tums at this point too. Honestly! If it's not one ailment, it's another. At least we can suffer together this time around. :) Pregnancy is miraculous and crazy at the same time. I seriously ate a full lunch (orange and pear slices and a turkey and cheese quesadilla) today. I felt completely satisfied (not super full but pretty much perfect). I kid you not, a half hour later my stomach was growling. Now, usually I can blame my excessive pregnancy weight-gain on the whole brownie batter cravings you talked about in an earlier post, but this was like my body just thought it was hungry again (or it actually was...I'm not really sure). Not sure what to do about that. I'm trying to stay within the recommended weight gain (which I'm pretty sure should happen this time around, although I started a bit heavier so I still should probably gain less...oh well) but I'm trying not to worry too much about it. Do the best you can and eat good nutritious food and then get in gear after the baby is born. That's my plan at least. Oh, and sorry to hear about Gerald. We'll keep him in our prayers.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the pregnancy! I had terible headaches with all 3 of my pregnancies. My doctor told me to drink a coke and take a tylenol. I am not a coke drinker but I was desprate, and luckily it worked great! Like you said the tylenol and caffine works great! I totally can sympathize with you! I hope the headaches get better!! Take care and we are so excited for you guys!
ReplyDeleteI was starving all the time in the 2nd semester when I was pregnant. Food takes on a whole differen't meaning to me when I'm pregnant. Now that I'm not pregnant I feel like I hardly eat anything or food just is mediocre.I hope and pray all goes well with Greg's dad.
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